Kelly makes switch from receiver to defensive back

TUSCALOOSA | The University of Alabama football team opens spring practice today, and with preparation for a new season often comes a few experimental position changes.

Apparently, Kendall Kelly will be among those to get a chance at a new position.

The redshirt freshman from Gadsden City High is expected to open spring drills at safety after spending his first season on campus working with wide receivers. One of his former high school coaches, Gadsden City defensive coordinator Ali Smith, said he was surprised when Kelly told him of the move.

“I was surprised, but at the same time, I know he’s the kind of athlete who can do something like that,” Smith told The Tuscaloosa News. “He’s upbeat about it. He knows it’s an opportunity for him to compete for a position, and he also knows he may be back at receiver at some point.”

The move would help spur competition in a UA secondary that enters spring drills limited both in terms of game experience and numbers. Four of the five defensive backs used in the Crimson Tide’s nickel defense in 2009 do not return. Returning experience at receiver, by contrast, is significantly deeper, and Kelly (6-3, 216 pounds) may not be the only receiver to get a similar opportunity to join the competition in the secondary.

The Crimson Tide’s leading receivers from last season — Julio Jones, Marquis Maze and Darius Hanks — all return. That trio combined for 91 receptions and 1,291 yards in 2009, while several reserves return as well.

Asked if Kelly, who redshirted last season, got experience playing defensive back in high school, Smith said very little.

“Sparingly, very sparingly,” Smith said. “People forget how much he was hurt the last couple of years. It would have been a lot to ask.”

Competition among defensive backs will also be aided by the early enrollment of two freshmen, DeMarcus Milliner and John Fulton, who are among 11 new players expected to participate in spring drills. Outgoing cornerback Kareem Jackson, a three-year starter, got a similar head start when he enrolled early and joined spring drills in 2007 before his freshman season. Considered a potential first-round draft choice in the April NFL Draft, Jackson started the Crimson Tide’s 2007 season opener as a freshman against Western Carolina.

“I had a chance to come in early and learn the defense and how (coach Nick Saban) wanted his cornerbacks to play,” Jackson said. “That helped me out a lot.”

Alabama will conduct 15 spring practices, concluding with the annual A-Day game on April 17. After the team’s opening practice Friday, players will be off for spring break. Saban said he was pleased with the team’s offseason conditioning work, even though it got off to a late start because the BCS National Championship Game was played Jan. 7.

“We’ve had a good offseason program with our guys. It’s been a week shorter than normal because we just pushed everything back because we played a little later than normal,” Saban said. “We’re anxious. We’ve got lots to evaluate, lots of people to teach. It’s going to be critical how some people develop at certain positions that have an opportunity to be good players. They need to show they’ve got the right stuff to do it, as well.”

Reach Chase Goodbread at chase.goodbread@tuscaloosanews.com, or at 205-722-0196.